Sports Briefs

April 29, 2008

Redfield man playing for Sioux City Bandits Former Redfield and University of Sioux Falls football standout Rob Tiff is playing for the Sioux City Bandits of the United Indoor Football league. Tiff signed a couple of weeks ago for the 3-4 Bandits, who play the Sioux Falls Storm (5-2) at the Sioux Falls Arena at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. Tiff is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound free safety who plays on all special teams for Sioux City. Tiff helped USF win the NAIA national championship in 2006. Rodeo: Eagle Butte honoree Four rodeo contestants with a total of seven world championships and 56 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications head the 2008 induction class, which will enter the ProRodeo Hall of Fame at 10 a.m. July 12 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Two South Dakotans are among the nine inductees, saddle bronc rider Tom Reeves of Eagle Butte and all-around cowboy Paul Tierney of Oral. The others are team roper Bobby Hurley of Clarksville, Ark.; late steer roper Shaun Burchett of Pryor, Okla.; the late Feek Tooke (stock contractor), Trails End (rodeo livestock), specialty act performers Leon and Vicki Adams (contract personnel), Duane Howard (rodeo notable) and the late Buddy Lytle (lifetime achievement). Reeves, the 2001 World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider and 18-time NFR qualifier, received the ProRodeo Hall of Fame Mentoring Award in 2007 after taking Ranger (Texas) College to the College National Finals Rodeo men's title in his second season as coach. As a competitor, Reeves qualified for the first 18 NFRs held in Las Vegas (1985-2002), six times finishing among the top four in the world. Only fellow South Dakotan Billy Etbauer of Ree Heights has more NFR qualifications with 19. Reeves, 43, also earned a silver medallion for finishing second at the 2002 Olympic Command Performance Rodeo in Farmington, Utah, while serving as captain for the gold medal-winning United States team. He retired in 2005 with career earnings of $1,745,962, putting him 20th on the all-time list entering the 2008 season. Tierney, 56, was the world champion tie-down roper in 1979 and then put together an even better season in 1980 to end Tom Ferguson's six-year reign as all-around champion and become the second rodeo cowboy to surpass $100,000 in earnings during a single season. He was second in the tie-down roping standings in 1980 and fourth in steer wrestling to earn $105,568. He was the reserve all-around champion in both 1977 and 1979, finishing second both times to Ferguson, and was fourth in 1981 behind Jimmie Cooper, Roy Cooper and Ferguson. Seven times Tierney rated among the top 10 all-around cowboys before retiring in the late 1980s after suffering a ruptured disc in his back. He had nine NFR tie-down qualifications (1977-82, 1984-86) and five in steer wrestling (1977, 1979-81, 1984). Media: Warner title game on DVD George Kiner of Volga has just completed two more of The South Dakota Coaches Against Cancer sports projects. One is a DVD of the 1992 Harrold vs. Warner State B boys' basketball championship at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen for $20. The other project is the Amateur Baseball Memory Book ($15), 133 pages of pictures, stories and history of amateur baseball from 1933 to the present. Proceeds from the sale of these products go to South Dakota Coaches Against Cancer. There are a wide variety of other South Dakota sports books available as well. To order: Mail check payable to Coaches Against Cancer to: George Kiner, 119 Marvin Ave., Volga, SD 57071. Wrestling: Wagner man honored Ernie Valentine of Wagner has been named Wrestling Coach of the Year by the South Dakota High School Coaches Association after leading the Red Raiders to the Class B state title the past season. It was Wagner's first wrestling title since 1994. Also nominated for the award were Dan Swatek of Elk Point-Jefferson, Brian Moser of Rapid City Stevens, Jay Swatek of Garretson and Shayne Geditz of Faulkton. Wade Rausch of Ipswich was honored in 2007. Football: SDSU spring game Wednesday Several promotions have been added to the lineup for the Jackrabbit football team's annual Spring Game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings. Kickoff is set to coincide with the completion of the Jackrabbit softball team's doubleheader with Iowa State. No admission will be charged. Starting at 6 p.m., the first 250 fans can participate in a Feed the Fans burger feed. Children eighth grade and under can join the team for on-field stretching at 6:40 p.m., and later have their pictures taken in Jackrabbit gear. An autograph session with players will follow the game. All fans can have their pictures taken with the Dakota Marker trophy, which will be on display at the stadium. The game will be broadcast live on WNAX 570 AM. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. NBA: Riley resigns from Heat post Pat Riley's worst season as coach of the Miami Heat will be his last. The Hall of Famer resigned as coach Monday but remains team president. Erik Spoelstra, a 37-year-old assistant who started in the Heat video room in 1995, will succeed Riley and become the NBA's youngest current coach. Miami finished the season with the NBA's poorest record (15-67) and, by far, the worst of Riley's 25-year career. Unless he comes back - he has once before - Riley finishes his career with 1,210 victories, third most in NBA history behind Lenny Wilkens and Don Nelson. He won seven championships in all, five as a head coach, one as an assistant and one as a player, and was voted into the 2008 Hall of Fame class this month. His induction is Sept. 5. Turkoglu named league's most improved: Hedo Turkoglu, whose 19 points, five rebounds and five assists per game helped the Orlando Magic win their first division title in 12 years, was selected as the NBA's most improved player Monday. Turkoglu's numbers marked career highs in each category, and dramatic improvements from 13 points, four rebounds and three assists last season. He earned back-to-back Eastern Conference player of the week awards in late January and early February and was named player of the month for April.